TEACHING YOU THE LANGUAGE THE LANGUAGE SCHOOLS DON'T TEACH, AND
GIVING YOU THE EXAMPLES THE EXEMPLARY SCHOOLS DON'T GIVE

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I also offer personally-tailored, individualized English conversation practice (including etiquette) and coaching in writing techniques. Finally, I edit texts such as magazines, business proposals, memorandums, emails so they are presented in English which does not embarrass you or your organization. For further details, please mail me at: language.etiquette@gmail.com

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22 November 2013

Language learning by innuendo

The word “nuts” has more than one meaning in English. I
therefore wondered what the BBC meant when they posted this headline today: “Eating nuts ‘may prolong life’”.

One meaning of the word relates to the food that monkeys are said to
enjoy. Another is more slangy, and is perhaps more politely conveyed by innuendo. There are others, but in order to learn at least these two a good way might be memorise the following simple sentence: “Eating nuts may prolong life, but nailing
them to the cobbles in Red Square will surely shorten it.”

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About Me

I am a writer, journalist, broadcaster and editor, living in Russia. I have written four books and I now publish this blog, which aims to help Russians master the difficult art of writing fluently in English. You can contact me at: language.etiquette@gmail.com
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